Soteriology

First published in 1700, The Christian's Reasonable Service (5 vols.) had twenty Dutch editions in the eighteenth century alone. The title is derived from Romans 12:1, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." It expresses what God requires of man, and particularly of the Christian, to serve Him in spirit and in truth, intelligently, reasonably, and in harmony and response to God's revelation of Himself in His Word.
With a decidedly Puritan flavor, it represents Reformed and scholastic experiential Christianity at its best. Wilhelmus à Brakel moves systematically through the main doctrines of the Bible with the intention of seeing God's people's minds renewed for the purpose of promoting godliness. This third volume contains a detailed treatment of soteriology (doctrine of salvation) as well as ordinances such as baptism and the Lord's Supper.

“A tremendously insightful work that displays the marriage between scholastic precision and warm, pastoral piety. À Brakel not only challenges the mind as he delves into the teachings of Scripture, but he also challenges the heart as readers encounter the truth and its implications for their growth in grace.”
J. V. Fesko, Academic Dean and Professor of Systematic Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary